Here’s Why You Should Be Skeptical of Trump’s Commitment to LGBTQ Rights

In President Trump’s dawning America, we already know that many marginalized communities don’t matter. The antagonism he promised during his campaign—for Muslims, for immigrants, for refugees—have now been solidified into a temporary ban on citizens from seven countries no longer admitted in the United States, including those seeking asylum and even foreign children seeking medical help. (A federal judge in Washington state has temporarily blocked this ban.) But Trump’s steely conservatism seems to abate in his vocalized allegiance to the American LGBTQ community, telling 60 Minutes in his first extended post-election interview that he considered the matter of same-sex marriage “settled” and confirming to Matt Lauer that Caitlyn Jenner could use any bathroom at Trump Tower she wanted, in regard to the ongoing battle of transgender bathroom access in the United States.

This alleged commitment to queer rights is considerably flawed, though, given the recent quote by an anonymous campaign worker that Trump likes his female employees “to dress like women.” And Trump’s definition is fairly limited, with reports that women in campaign offices “felt pressure to wear dresses.”

Clearly, women who deviate from such conventional femininity (whether from a queer perspective or even straight ladies with a penchant for an androgynous aesthetic) have no visibility in Trump’s office—so where do they stand in his America?

This egregious blind spot for gender nonconforming women, particularly in the professional sphere, is all the more pertinent given Trump’s decision to uphold President Obama’s executive order prohibiting federal contractors from discriminating on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. While there was reporting that Trump was considering overturning the workplace protection—and that his daughter and son-in-law had a hand in swaying him—the White House ultimately announced its commitment to the order, adding, “President Trump continues to be respectful and supportive of LGBTQ rights, just as he was throughout the election.”

But given Trump’s narrow unofficial workplace dress code, and his vow to run America like one of his businesses, the question now is this: Do those LGBTQ rights extend only to those queer women who can pass as traditionally feminine? So, basically, as straight? This isn’t “supportive” in the ongoing battle for queer civil rights—nor is it any indication of progress, or even authentic allyship.

Keep in mind that there are still no explicit federal workplace protections for queer Americans, which we do have in place for sex, race, religion, national origin, and age. Twenty-eight states lack statewide laws prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. For queer Americans, this means that yes, they can get (gay) married thanks to the monumental win of marriage equality. But depending on where they live, they could be legally fired for it. A simple act like posting wedding photos to Facebook could cost them their livelihood. Now consider how much more in jeopardy that livelihood would be under a Trump administration with little regard for women who don’t “dress like women.”

This ignorance mirrors his disregard for other women who don’t adhere to the stifles of tradition or immense privilege—such as a proposed maternity leave policy that reportedly only benefits married women. Or his comment during the presidential campaign that if his own daughter were sexually harassed at work, she should simply find another job—a luxury most working-class women can’t afford.

But in Trump’s America, it’s already clear which women are a priority, and which aren’t even seen. Women in a suit and tie are, for now, firmly in the latter category.